


Ranger Joins The Party

by Eastofthemoon



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Friendship/Love, High Fantasy, Humor, Meet-Cute, Monsters & Mana (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:07:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25183750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/pseuds/Eastofthemoon
Summary: (Monsters and Mana Setting) When Valayun gets separated from her friends, she ends up being saved by an unexpected stranger.
Relationships: Allura/Keith (Voltron)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 32





	Ranger Joins The Party

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to Gullwhacker, Cutekittenlady, and Rueitae for looking over this story!

The crackle of a fire woke her. Valayun groaned, keeping her eyes firmly shut as she buried her face into her pillow and yanked the blanket over her head. She didn’t want to wake up. She just wanted to stay in her nice warm bed-

It was at that thought that her memory rushed back to her. She had never made it to bed.

She and her friends had been in the middle of a fight. They had gone deep into the Frozen Forest upon the desperate pleas of the village elder to collect the plant called ‘dragon tears’. Pike had been complaining about the cold when a couple of ogres caught them off guard.

During the fight, Valayun had been knocked into the rapid river and had been swept away.

Valayun’s fingers gripped the blanket as she remembered the freezing river. She had never felt so cold in her life. It felt like her life was being drained out of her and she had been nothing but a small toy in the river’s current. She should have drowned, but something had grabbed her wrist and dragged her out.

Two figures had been hovering above her, but she had been so cold Valayun had let herself pass out.

_ Someone must have saved me, but who? _

Gradually, Valayun poked her head out. 

Someone had lit a fire in the center of what she could only deduce was a cave. Her fingers dug into the warm blanket, which she only now realized was lined with thick fur. She glanced down. She still wore her clothes, but her weapons and armour had been removed. 

Alarmed, she frantically glanced around until she spotted them against a far wall. Valayun sighed in relief. She could easily reach her arrows if she had to defend herself. 

_ Granted, it doesn’t appear anyone else is here with me currently- _

Suddenly, she felt a warm breath at the back of her neck.

Valayun gulped as she turned around and stared into the eyes of a large wolf. She didn’t dare move, and the wolf calmly remained where he was, watching every movement.

“Um...hello?” she greeted.

The wolf snorted at her.

“You’re not going to eat me, are you?” she asked.

Valayun didn’t know what she expected, but the wolf gave a yawn in response.

“I’ll assume that’s a ‘No’,” she said as she slowly backed up. “Well, if that’s the case I’ll just get my arrows and be on my way-HEY!”

The wolf had risen and pinned Valayun to the ground by draping himself over her body.

She grunted as she tried to wiggle free. “Get off of me this instant!” 

The wolf twitched an ear.

Valayun’s eyes twitched. “I don’t know what your game is, but if you think-”

“Blink, off her,” spoke a male voice.

The wolf wagged his tail and happily climbed off. Valayun sat up and saw the wolf greeting a cloaked figure who had firewood under their arm and a longbow hanging over their shoulder. The figure set down the wood and patted the wolf’s head before turning to Valayun.

“Sorry, I told him to keep you there in case you tried to leave before I got back,” the figure spoke in a masculine voice.

Valayun narrowed her eyes. “Because I’m your prisoner.”

The figure snorted. “More like trying to make certain you didn’t kill yourself after I just pulled you out of the river. Otherwise it would have been a wasted effort.” The figure pulled back his hood.

He had long black hair tied back into a braid, but his pointed ears caught Valayun’s attention. Her first assumption that he was an elf like her until she noticed the red marks on his cheeks. Birthmarks like that weren’t common among elves, at least not from her clan.

He glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. “Are you going to tell me your name or just keep staring at me?”

Valayun’s cheeks turned red as she looked away. “I’m sorry, but you caught me a bit off guard.” Maybe she had been staring but he didn’t have to be so blunt about it. She cleared her throat and straightened her posture. “I’m Valayun, and you?”

“Ke’ith,” he replied as he patted the wolf and gave him a piece of dried meat. “This is my partner Blink.”

“Your partner?” 

Suddenly the realization dawned on her and slammed her fist into her palm. “Wait, are you a mountain elf?”

He flinched slightly. “I’m actually only half elf, but yeah I am.”

“That explains the wolf,” she muttered.

Her father told her about mountain elves. They were strong rangers who kept to themselves, but would often be paired with a storm wolf as their lifelong companion.

Feeling a bit more at ease, she offered a smile. “Thank you for rescuing me.”

“Welcome, but what are you doing out here?” He narrowed his eyes at her. “The frost forest is dangerous if you don’t know your way around. This place isn’t for fun.”

“I’m not here for ‘fun’,” Valayun stated firmly as she puffed out her chest. “I’m on an important quest.” She gasped slightly and her eyes twinkled as she glanced at Ke’ith. 

“Are you on a quest too?” she asked. 

Perhaps she could gain another companion to her adventuring group.

Ke’ith tilted his head and exchanged a baffled expression with Blink. 

“Uh no, I’m just completing my training,” he replied.

“Training?” Valayun asked, curious.

“It’s a tradition in my clan that a warrior must spend a year travelling to complete their training,” Ke’ith said as he poked at the fire.

Valayun frowned. “That must be lonely.”

When she started her quest, it had been so lonesome. She had been so happy when she had met and joined her companions. She would have endured alone, but it was far more enjoyable, in her opinion, to have friends to chat with. Not to mention it was far easier when fighting. Fewer worries of being injured when she had friends to literally watch her back.

Ke’ith shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me, but I-” He then paused, shook his head and pointed a stick at her. “Wait, we’re getting off track. Why are you out here?”

“Right, sorry,” Valayun said as she held up a hand. “My friends and I came to the forest to locate the dragon’s tears.”

Ke’ith’s eyes widened. “You mean that rare herb?”

“Yes,” Valayun replied with a nod. “We were sent by the village just outside this forest.”

Ke’ith grew quiet as he grasped his chin. “I know the place, but why would they want it?”

“As a cure,” Valayun continued. “Many have become ill with green fever.”

Ke’ith’s eyes widened and then narrowed. “How many?”

“More than I can count,” Valayun said as her fists tighten. “But many children and we don’t have a lot of time.”

Ke’ith sat in front of her. “The dragon's tears are hard to get to. It grows deep in a cave where a frost griffin makes its lair.”

“I know,” Valayun said as she reached for her pouch and brought out the map. She was relieved to see it undamaged. “However, according to the map the village leader gave us we should be able to use an underground tunnel to sneak up around it...Why are you making that face?”

Ke’ith rubbed his neck as he tapped the map. “Because this is very out of date.”

Valayun blinked. “What?”

“There’s no tunnel there anymore. It collapsed a few years ago,” Ke’ith said as he reached behind him and brought out his own map. 

Valayun held up her map and frantically compared the two. Ke’ith was right. The spot where the tunnel was located was missing from the other map. 

“No, no, no,” she muttered as she held up Ke’ith’s map. “That had been our whole plan.” Pike was going to lead the way while the rest followed and acted as cover as Pike snagged the dragon’s tears. “How are we supposed to sneak in now?”

“There’s still a way,” Ke’ith said as he pointed to a small clearing. “Halfway there are ghost breath trees, on which soulwart grows. If you cover yourself in its sap, it’ll conceal your scent from the griffin.”

“But wouldn’t it still see us?” Valayun replied.

“Their eyesight is bad, so if you fool their sense of smell you have a chance,” Ke’ith continued as he crossed his arms. “It’ll still be dangerous though.”

Valayun’s shoulders sank slightly, but she swiftly straightened her posture. The risk didn’t matter. People’s lives were at stake. They had to come through for the village.

“That is good advice, thank you,” she said as she pointed to the map. “May I please borrow this? An outdated map won’t be much use to me and my friends.”

“No need to,” Ke’ith said as he rolled it back up. “Blink and I will be coming with you.”

Valayun’s eyes widened. “You will?”

“I can’t look away when innocent people are in trouble,” Ke’ith explained, but then frowned. “But if your friends will object-”

Valayun grabbed his hands. “Of course not! The more people we have on our quest the greater success we shall have.”

“Uh, alright,” Ke’ith replied as he blushed slightly before gently releasing his hands from hers. “Let me gather my supplies together while you eat these.”

He took out a pouch and dumped some purple berries into his hands.

Valayun wrinkled her nose and pointed. “What are those?”

“Mingle berries,” Ke’ith said as he handed them to her. “They don’t taste great, but they’ll heal you faster than any potion would.”

“Oh, thank you,” Valayun said as he popped one into her mouth. A sourness struck her. Her lips puckered as she chewed and forced herself to swallow before she dared let herself breath.

“That was revolting,” she gasped. 

“You get used to it,” Ke’ith said as Blink came over with his bow and arrows to pack. “Especially when you have to eat five of them to get the full effect.”

Valayun grimaced and sighed as she picked up another berry. The things she did for the greater good.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

Once they were packed, they left the cave and began their trek through the woods. Blink led the way as Ke’ith and Valayun walked side by side.

“Do you have any idea where your friends could be?” Ke’ith asked.

“Unfortunately no,” Valayun said as she looked over the map. “Our best bet is to hope we are able to cross paths with them where that tunnel was supposed to be.” She glanced up to the sky. “Flying would be faster. I could summon us a mount?”

“Not a good idea,” Ke’ith as Blink sniffed the ground. “The icy winds would freeze your beast’s wings over before we even got halfway there. There’s a reason only frost griffins can fly above the forest here.”

“Oh, I see,” Valayun replied as she rolled up the map.

They walked in silence.

Valayun tucked her hands behind her back. They walked on in silence for several minutes, which felt odd for Valayun. When she travelled alone she had grown accustomed to the quiet, but that changed when she met her traveling companions. The only time there was absolute silence was when they were all going to sleep.

Otherwise, Block would be humming, or Pike and Meklavar would be having a game of riddles, or she and Jiro would be having a discussion of battle tactics. It felt bizarre to have someone with her and not engage in a conversation.

She casually glanced over to see if there were any signs Ke’ith felt the same, but if he did he didn’t show it on his face.

_ Might as well be the one to start  _ she thought as she cleared her throat.

"So, Ke'ith how long have you been travelling?"

Ke’ith turned with a quizzical expression at the question. “A few months,” he muttered before he turned his gaze back to the path.

“Are you lonely?” Valayun asked. She had traveled alone for barely three weeks before she had joined up with her friends.

Ke’ith shrugged. “Not really. I have Blink with me so I don’t need much else for company.”

“But you must miss your family.”

“I miss my mother sure,” he said. “But I’ll be seeing her after I’m done my training and I write to her often enough.”

“Yes, but still-”

Ke’ith gave an exhausted sigh as he gave a glare. “Why are you so nosey?”

Valayun pouted with a huff. “I’m not nosey!”

“You asking about my personal life is pretty nosey to me.”

Blink gave a bark in agreement.

Valayun placed her hands on her hips. “Where I come from it’s just called trying to make polite conversation.”

Ke’ith poked her shoulder. “Then how about you tell me about your parents since you’re so eager to hear about mine!”

Valayun shut her mouth. She gripped her bow as she turned her gaze away. 

“My… parents are dead,” she muttered quietly.

“Oh,” Ke’ith muttered softly.

They walked in silence for a moment until Valayun felt a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” Ke’ith replied. “I shouldn’t have-”

“No, it was only fair,” Valayun replied with a bittersweet smile. “I was the one to bring up this topic.”

Ke’ith’s eyes had softened. “Was it recent?”

“My mother died as a child, but my father’s death a few years ago, both from illness,” Valayun said as they ducked under a tree branch. “After that I lived with my father’s distant cousins.”

“And they’re alright?” Ke’ith asked.

Valayun gave a small chuckle. “Yes, their daughter Romelle is practically like a sister to me. I know she worries about me, so I write to her often.”

“My mother’s the same way,” Ke’ith replied and his eyes hardened. “My father passed away when I was a child too.”

Valayun glanced back. Ke’ith said no further words, but she recognized a familiar pain in his eyes. As far as she knew, Pike and Melkavar still had their parents. Brook’s family was currently alive and well since they broke that spell upon his village. Of her group, only Jiro really understood the pain of losing a parent.

She gave an understanding nod. “Was it an illness?”

“Accident,” Ke’ith explained. “A fire broke out in the village and he ran into a house to save the family there. He got them out but…” He trailed off. “He died a hero and became one of the few humans to be buried in our clans sacred burial ground.”

_ So, he’s part human,  _ Valayun thought curiously.

“He sounded like he was very brave,” Valayun said and tried to smile. “I’m sure he would be very proud of what you are doing.”

“Tell me that after we’ve finished this quest,” Ke’ith replied. “We-”

Suddenly, Blink froze and growled.

Ke’ith’s eyes narrowed as he held out a dagger. 

“What’s wrong?” Valayun asked as she got her bow ready.

“Don’t know but Blink clearly hears-”

Ke’ith’s eyes widened. 

He spun around just as someone dropped upon him from the tree. Ke’ith blocked the attacker’s knife as he was pinned to the ground. Valayun aimed her arrow at the surprise opponent, but lowered it upon seeing his face.

“PIKE!”

Pike grunted as he struggled to keep Ke’ith pinned. “Run, Valayun! I got him!”

“What?!” Valayun cried.

Ke’ith growled as he tossed Pike off. The thief spun in the air and as Valayun expected landed perfectly on his feet. He had his knife ready to continue fighting until Ke’ith stuck his fingers into his mouth and gave a sharp whistle.

Pike smirked. “And what was that supposed to-”

He was promptly cut off by Blink pouncing upon him. Pike’s face greeted the snow as Blink lay right on top of him.

“Hey, no fair calling in the mutt!” Pike called. 

“Says the one that tried to sneak attack me,” Ke’ith snapped as he dusted the snow off.

Pike scoffed. “I’m a thief! It’s what I do! Besides you captured my friend there-”

“I wasn’t captured!” Valayun snapped harshly.

Pike shut his mouth as he looked to Valayun with wide eyes. “What?”

“Ke’ith saved me… wait, Ke’ith could you please get Blink off of him?”

Ke’ith sighed as he nodded. “Fine, just as long as he doesn’t do anything funny.”

“Depends if you do anything suspicious,” Pike retorted.

“Pike,” Valayun scolded.

“Okay, okay, I promise,” Pike said.

Ke’ith nodded to Blink and the wolf responded by climbing off of Pike. Once her friend was up, Valayun raced over to give him a hug.

Pike momentarily dropped his scowl and hugged her. “Are you okay?”

“I am thanks to Ke’ith,” Valayun said as she stepped aside. “He saved me from the river.” She then frowned and jabbed his chest. “Why did you attack him?”

Pike narrowed his eyes and pointed. “I saw you walking next to a guy wearing a long hooded black cape with a giant wolf? What conclusion would you have come to? It screams dark sorcerer to me!”

Ke’ith raised an eyebrow. “So you judge people on the colors of their capes?”

Pike crossed his arms. “Hey, I call as I see them and you look as suspicious as any dark magic users I’ve seen. The only thing in your favor is that you don’t have a mustache!”

Valayun raised but then lowered her hand as she looked over Ke’ith. She couldn’t deny she also had been cautious when she first woke up. She shook her head of the thought and asked, “Where are the others?”

Pike pointed over his shoulder. “Not far. Jiro asked me to scout ahead and that’s when I spotted you two.”

“And you decided to take me on by yourself?” Ke’ith asked in dismay. “That was dumb.”

“Hey, I was afraid I’d lose track of you if I retreated back to get the others,” Pike began, but Valayun got in between.

“Alright, that’s enough. We need to regroup with the others,” Valayun said as she grabbed Pike’s shoulder. “We don’t have time to waste, remember? And we need everyone to make a new plan for getting the dragon’s tears.”

Pike blinked at her. “Um..but don't we already have a plan?”

“No we don’t,” Valayun said as she pointed. “We’ll explain once we’re with the others.”

Pike frowned, but rubbed his neck as he sighed. “Okay, fine.” He gestured over his shoulder. “Follow me.”

Valayun smiled as they quickly followed him down the trail and tried not to notice the glares Pike and Ke’ith continued to shoot at one another.

\--------------------------------------------------

“Who’s a good wolfie!” Block cooed as he stroked Blink’s ears. “It’s you! Yes you are! Yes you are!”

Blink seemed to enjoy the attention as he barked and then wagged his tail in delight.

Valayun giggled as she glanced to Ke’ith. “He seems to like Block.”

Ke’ith gave an amused smile. “He can be a softie sometimes.”

“He growled at me the whole time we walked here,” Pike said with a pout.

“You did attack his owner with a dagger,” Meklavar commented dryly.

Pike sighed as he tossed his hands up in the air. “Like I just explained, I thought he was holding Valayun hostage-”

“Doesn’t change the fact that you attacked first,” Meklavar replied.

“Okay, okay,” Jiro said as he got in between them and then offered a hand to Ke’ith. “We do thank you for saving Valayun. We were worried about her.”

Ke’ith shook Jiro’s hand. “It’s fine. I only did what any decent person should do.” He frowned. “And not to rush things, but we shouldn’t be wasting time here.”

Jiro gave a firm nod. “You’re right. Can you show us your map?”

“I have it here,” Valayun said as Blink flipped onto his back and Block got to rub his belly. “Here you can see the tunnel we wanted to use has collapsed.”

“Shouldn’t someone go and confirm that?” Pike said with a raised eyebrow. “We are taking the word of a stranger here-”

“Um..about that,” Block said as Blink stood back up. “While you were gone, I did cast a scrying spell to locate the tunnel and it couldn’t find it.” He frowned. “I was coming to the conclusion it had collapsed before Ke’ith had even mentioned it.”

“Oh,” Pike said quietly, avoiding the sight of Ke’ith’s smirk. “Fine, okay, what’s the plan then?”

Jiro glanced to Ke’ith. “You said you had a plan?”

“Not a great plan,” Ke’ith said as he went over to the tree and yanked off a small green plant. “This is soulwart. It has a strong but strange scent to it.”

“Okay,” Melkavar said as she tilted her head, “and this matters because-”

“Frost griffins have a strong sense of smell, but poor eyesight,” Ke’ith continued.

Valayun clasped her hands with a smile. “If we rub the sap of the soulwart on us, it should conceal our scent to sneak past it.”

“Exactly,” Ke’ith said with a nod and then frowned. “Although, I should warn you guys, this plant’s scent isn’t exactly pleasant to humanoid creatures.”

Melkavar frowned, tore off a leaf and looked ready to vomit. “Oh my-my brother’s socks smell better than this!”

Pike sniffed from her hand and pinched his nose. “Yuck, it smells like that manure pile back home! No way am I rubbing that on myself! I'd rather take my chances-”

“To have the Frost Griffin’s razor sharp claws tear you apart?” Block asked as he picked up a bunch of leaves. “Sorry, but if it’s a choice between having to stink for a bit or get eaten by a monster, I’ll pick stink every time.”

“And we don’t have any time to waste,” Jiro said as he scooped up some of the leaves. “The longer we take to complete this quest the sicker the village becomes.”

Pike and Melkavar exchanged a bitter frown before they both slumped their shoulders.

“Fine,” they said in unison.

Valayun smiled in agreement, but grimaced as she sniffed the leaves and stuck out her tongue. “I will be needing a very long bath after this.”

“We all will,” Ke’ith said as he rubbed some of the leaves into Blink’s fur. 

The wolf growled.

“Yes, Blink, even you,” Ke’ith said. “Now hold still.”

Blink’s ears folded back, but the wolf remained calm as Ke’ith continued his work. 

Valayun watched them curiously as she rubbed the leaves onto her neck.  _ They’ll both probably need a bath. I remember once reading how mountain elves will even bathe with their animal companions.  _

She blushed as her mind was tempted to picture a shirtless Ke’ith washing and she swiftly tossed it aside.  _ That is hardly appropriate! Why would I- Even if Ke’ith is handsome, this is not the time...wait did I just admit he’s handsome? _

“Valayun, almost done?” Jiro asked.

She coughed and quickly gathered up her bows and arrows. “Yes, yes, coming.” She flung them over her shoulders and pointed ahead. “Let’s get going.”

Ke’ith nodded as he held out the map and pointed the way.

\------------------------------------------------------------

“This cave is much brighter than I imagined it would be,” Valayun commented.

Blue moss was scattered amongst the walls of the cave. They almost seemed to shimmer as they walked by. It was rather beautiful and also rather eerie.

“It’s the cave moss,” Ke’ith said as he pointed to the walls. “It’s a rare luminescent variety. Frost griffins often like to cover their eggs with it to find them in the dark.”

Block stroked his chin as he gingerly reached towards one patch. “Wonder if it would be useful for cooking or a spell-”

“It's also used for different kinds of poisons,” Ke’ith added quickly.

Block froze and slowly pulled his hand back. “On second thought, I’ll just continue to admire it from afar.”

Valayun giggled as she glanced back to Ke’ith. “You seem to know quite a bit about flora and fauna.”

“I’m a ranger,” Ke’ith said with a shrug, “comes with the territory.”

Pike scoffed. “So you know about glowing moss, big deal?” He placed his hands behind his head. “Bet you don’t know any practical skills like picking a lock, or detecting traps or-”

Suddenly, Ke’ith hushed him and held a hand up to his ear. “Hear that?”

The group paused. Valayun shut her eyes as she listened.

A soft rumbling sound echoed in the cave.

“What is that?” Valayun asked as she opened her eyes.

“It almost...sounds like snoring,” Jiro spoke.

“Willing to bet it’s the frost griffin,” Ke’ith spoke.

“Ooh,” Melkavar said as she snapped her fingers. “If he’s napping that will make this a lot easier.”

“It will be if he stays asleep,” Ke’ith whispered. “So we've got to keep quiet.”

“This time I agree,” Pike grumbled as he crossed his arms. “Let me scout ahead a bit.”

The group nodded. 

Siently Pike rushed ahead. It wasn’t long before he came back.

“Mister doom and gloom is right,” Pike said and rolled his eyes. “This time at least. The griffin is asleep and looks like there’s a huge patch of dragon tears just past his nest.”

Valayun grasped her chin. “So, we might be able to sneak by it and get the plant without a fight?”

“Possibly, but stay alert,” Jiro whispered as he gestured forward. “Everyone needs to keep quiet.”

The group quietly followed Jiro and Pike. They soon entered a large cavern. In the dead centre was a nest as big as a house. It shimmered and took Valayun a moment to see the nest was made of both wood and ice. 

The frost griffin was curled up in his nest, with his large blue head resting on top of the edge, and his ice blue talons dangling over the sides.

She swallowed hard, before tip toeing past the nest. Together, they walked by the nest with no incident.

Up ahead, Valayun could see a golden patch of silver plants with green petals all blooming and ripe for the taking.

_ We’ve almost done it,  _ she thought.  _ We just need to- _

“OW!” 

Everyone jumped. Valayun whirled around.

Block had covered his mouth as he was hoping on one foot and glaring at the large rock next to him.

_ Of all the times to stub your toe!  _

Fearfully, they turned towards the nest.

The frost griffon's eyes had opened. He lifted his head upward and growled as he scanned the area.

Valayun froze. Slowly, she raised her arrow, but Ke’ith placed her hand on her shoulder. 

“Don’t,” he whispered. “If we keep still it might go back to sleep.”

Valayun swallowed and nodded.

The frost griffin continued to growl as it sniffed the air. She saw Pike, Melkavar and Jiro were near its nest and were doing their best to keep still. Block looked ready to scream but thankfully resisted as the griffin’s tail swooped over his head. 

Gradually, the frost griffin’s eyes began to shut and he lowered his head back into his nest.

“ACHOO!”

The frost griffin jumped.

All eyes frantically turned to where Melkavar was wiping her nose with a sleeve. 

“Sorry,” he grumbled meekly.

“YOU COULDN’T HAVE HELD IT IN?!” Pike screamed

“YOU DIDN’T THINK I TRIED?!” Melkavar screamed back.

“Argue later,” Jiro exclaimed as he drew his sword. “Look out!”

The frost griffin screeched as he raised a talon and tried to swipe at them. Jiro blocked with his sword, buying time for Pike to scoop up Melkavar and dash out of the way.

“Hold on,” Valayun called as she fired her bow. 

The arrow flew, but she cursed as it only bounced off the frost griffin’s hide. However, it was enough to earn the creature’s attention as he turned his head in her direction. Jiro lowered his sword and ran to Block’s side.

“We need a new plan!” Jiro shouted.

“I vote we run!” Brock said.

“But we haven’t gotten the dragon tears yet,” Pike shouted as he put Melkavar down.

The frost griffin roared and aimed his razor sharp beak at Valayun. She yelped as she felt arms wrap around her waist and tumbled moments before she heard the beak snap shut.

She glanced up and blushed as she saw Ke’ith looming over her.

“That’s twice you saved me,” she muttered as he let go of her.

“Keep score later,” he told her as Blink stood protectively in front of them. “Block can you cast a sleep spell on it?!”

“Y-yeah, but for one this big I’ll need a few minutes,” he called out.

“We’ll stall as long as we can,” Jiro shouted as he aimed his sword. “Everyone, cover Block!”

“Charge!” Melkavar called out as she raised her axe, dodging the griffin's tail on her approach.

Block’s eyes glowed as the ground below his feet began to shine.

Valayun prepared another arrow and Ke’ith stood next to her with his own arrow loaded.

“The eyes are a bit weaker than the hide. We might make a better impact if we shoot together,” he told her.

She nodded an agreement as they raised their arrows. “Ready? Set...Fire!”

The two arrows flew and in perfect unison landed in the griffin’s right eye. The creature howled in pain and shook his head.

Confused, the creature began to spin in a circle. A foot was about to land on Pike.

“Pike!’ Valayun called out. She couldn’t reach him in time.

Ke’ith whistled and pointed. “Blink! Rescue!”

The wolf barked and ran. Pike yelled as Blink grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him away before the foot landed.

Blink let go as Pike fell back, caught his back and glanced back to the wolf. “Um..thanks.”

Blink barked before retreating back to Ke’ith’s side.

The griffin scratched at his eye with his front paw and finally pulled out the arrows. His eye remained shut as it roared again, causing the whole cave to shake.

“Block, any time would be great!” Melkavar said.

Block clapped his hands. “Done!” He raised his staff in the air. “Blissful slumber!”

A wave of blue magic shot out, striking the frost griffin in the face. The beast shook his head, but then started to stagger. The griffin stumbled back and forth until finally he collapsed, with his head falling towards Valayun, Ke’ith and Blink.

“Watch out!” Valayun yelled as she grabbed Ke’ith by the wrist and yanked him to safety. Blink ran close behind and the griffin just barely missed them.

Valayun and Ke’ith both caught their breath as they looked back.

“Thanks,” Ke’ith replied.

“You’re welcome,” she said.

They stood a moment until Ke’ith blushed and pointed. “You can let go of me now.”

Valayun blushed beat red as she let go. “Sorry.”

Pike meekly walked up to the slumbering frost griffin and poked at one of its tails. “Sssooo, it’s asleep.”

“Yeah,” Block huffed as he leaned against his staff. “But only for a few hours. Normally, it would last a day but the bigger the beast the shorter the spell lasts.”

“Let’s not waste any time then,” Jiro said as he put his sword away. “Let’s go collect the dragon tears.”

“One sec,” Ke’ith as he approached the head of the sleeping griffin. He silently kneeled in front of the griffin’s eye. “Does anyone know a healing spell?”

“Um, Block knows a few and I know a couple,” Valayun asked. “Why? Are you hurt?”

Ke’ith shook his head and pointed. “No, but we need to heal the frost griffin.”

“WHAT?!” Pike and Melkavar cried in unison.

“You want to heal the monster that tried to kill us?” Block asked. 

“We invaded his home,” Ke’ith said with his eyes narrowed. “If some weird looking strangers invaded your house, would you be calm about it?”

Silence fell upon the group.

“He does have a point,” Jiro replied. “We did attack it first.”

“Yeah,” Block said with a slow nod and looked to Valayun. “Can you heal this? I can do it if you can’t but I must pass out as a result. That sleeping spell took a lot of mana.”

“I can do it,” Valayun said as she kneeled next to Ke’ith and raised her hand. “This will take me a few minutes.”

“Alright, in the meantime we should get that plant,” Jiro said as he pointed forward.

“I’ll stay here and Valayun just in case of any trouble,” Melkavar replied as she raised her axe.

Jiro nodded. “Alright, let’s hurry up.”

Ke’ith rose and whistled at the wolf. “Blink, stay and guard!”

The wolf woofed as he obediently sat next to Valayun.

Pike shook his head. “Can’t believe we’re healing the monster.”

Valayun watched her friend walk around the griffin’s nest before she raised her hands and began casting.

A familiar white glow appeared at her fingertips and she quickly applied them to the griffin’s eye.

“He’s weird,” she heard Melkavar mutter behind her.

“He is a bit odd,” Valayun admitted but then turned her bemused smile at her friend. “But I doubt we can hardly claim to be normal ourselves.”

Melkavar frowned and then chuckled softly. “Yeah, that's fair.”

Valayun continued to smile as she returned to her work.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------

Gathering the dragon tears didn’t take long. By the time Valayun had finished healing the frost griffin, the group was ready to go and wanted to waste little time.

Unfortunately, night had already fallen when they excited the cave. As much as Valayun wished to rush back to the village, they had to make camp. 

Even if they managed to avoid the night predators of the forest, the temperature dropped severely. Block’s heat spell would only work if they stayed inside the circle he marked in the snow. Since no one wished to freeze to death, they had no choice but to make camp.

Melkavar and Ke'ith dropped their load of firewood in the campsite just as Block finished drawing the circle with his staff. 

“Ignite,” he commanded and the circle glowed a bright orange.

Valayun sighed with relief as she felt the heat sink into her cold bones. “That feels good.”

Ke’ith blinked curiously as he kneeled to examine the circle. “I didn’t know there was a spell for heat.”

“It’s not a spell I get to cast often,” Block admitted as he sat down, “but it’s useful on a cold night.”

“No argument,” Valayun sighed blissfully as she rubbed her arms, but then frowned as she glanced over to the plants they had gathered. “Do you think we’ll make it in time?”

“Hard to say,” Jiro commented as he gathered the wood and began to work on the fire. “All we can do is focus on leaving as soon as the sun is up.”

Valayun gave a nod. She knew he was right, but that knowledge didn’t quell the anxiousness in her stomach.

“We should probably take shifts of someone standing guard,” Melkavar said as she removed her helmet.

Pike raised his hand. “I vote Ke’ith takes the first watch!”

Valayun huffed. “Why? He just got here-”

“Exactly,” Pike said as he flicked his tail. “New guy gets the first watch. It’s our rule!”

“Uh, since when?” Block asked as he summoned the bed rolls from his astral pocket.

“Since today,” Pike said with a smirk.

Valayun rolled her eyes. “That is hardly-”

“Actually, I don’t mind,” Ke’ith said as he sat on the ground and Blink curled up next to him. “I’m honestly not that tired right now.”

Valayun frowned and tightened. “Well, if you’re certain.”

“I’ll take the next shift after him,” Melkavar stated. “After that I’ll poke Pike awake to take over.”

“The sun should be rising by then,” Jiro said as he finished starting the fire. “There we should have light now.” He yawned and gave a wave. “Sleep well everyone.”

“Yeah, night,” Pike muttered but instead of walking over to his blanket, Valayun saw him approach Ke’ith and whisper into the ranger’s ear. Valayun raised an eyebrow as Ke’ith nodded and Pike patted his shoulder before retreating to his blanket.

It wasn’t long before there were sounds of soft snores, and Pike muttering about the amount of gold he had found in his sleep. Yet, Valayun found herself wide awake. She kept trying to shut her eyes, but found herself staring up into the night sky.

After a couple of hours, she grumbled and sat up. 

“Can’t sleep?” Ke’ith asked from his spot.

Valayun nodded. “My mind won’t settle. I keep worrying if we’ll make it in time to help the village.” She stood up, her hands tucked behind her back as she walked over to Ke’ith's spot. “Would it be alright if I join you? I might as well make myself useful and be on guard too.”

“Go ahead,” Ke’ith said with a shrug.

Valayun wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and sat next to him. They sat in silence, listening to the hooting of a nearby owl. Valayun casually glanced at Ke’ith. It was the first time she was able to take a closer look at the elf.

If she were to guess, he was roughly about her age. She had to admit, he had rather handsome features. If Romelle were here, she would be gushing over how pretty Ke’ith’s hair was and would be in love with the tattoos over his cheeks. Valayun never paid as much attention to such things as her cousin did, although Ke’ith’s eyes were quite nice. 

“Something on your mind?” Ke’ith asked.

Valayun blushed. Why was she blushing so much lately?

“Oh..um, I was just wondering what Pike said to you earlier.”

“Oh,” Ke’ith replied and shrugged as he stroked Blink’s ears. “Nothing really, he was just thanking me for having Blink save him earlier.”

“I see,” Valayun said with a smile. 

That would explain it. Pike knew when to be grateful, but knowing his pride he probably didn’t want the others hearing him actually thank Ke’ith.

Ke’ith pointed over to where Pike was sleeping. “Is he always annoying or is it just me?”

“He has a tendency to ‘poke the werebear’ if you get my drift,” Valayun said. “I am finding him to be a bit more antagonistic towards you than usual - but to be fair you did attack him.”

“He attacked me first,” Ke’ith said with a pout.

“No denying that, but he really is a good person,” Valayun said as she pulled the blanket tighter over her shoulders. “Give him time and he’ll warm up to you.”

Ke’ith’s eyes narrowed and returned his gaze to the night sky. “I probably won’t be around long enough for that to happen. I’m only with you guys to help the village.”

Valayun chewed her lower lip. “True, but...what if you stayed afterwards?”

Ke’ith returned his gaze to her as Blink raised his head curiously at her. “Pardon?”

“Why don’t you join our group?” Valayun straightened her posture. “The frost griffin proved you can fight efficiently with us and we could use someone of your skills.”

Ke’ith became quiet as he scratched under Blink’s chin. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I’ve always been more of a loner.”

“You can always leave us later if you find yourself uncomfortable,” Valayun said as she touched his hand. “If anything it would give me a chance to pay you back my debt.”

Ke’ith scoffed. “Debt? We’re even. Or did you forget when you saved me from getting squashed by the griffin.”

“Yes, but only after you did the same for me a few moments before,” Valayun said. “I still owe you one.”

“I didn’t realize we were keeping score,” Ke’ith commented with a smirk.

Valayun waved a hand. “If you believe that is bad, you should hear Pike and Melkavar talk. They’re always taking bets on who beat the most trolls.”

Ke’ith laughed, and became silent again as Blink buried his nose into his hand. 

“You might welcome me, but your group might object like Pike-”

“They’ll be happy to have you join,” Valayun said, “and while Pike might object I am sure he’ll get over it.”

Ke’ith narrowed his eyes as he took a deep breath. “I’ll consider it, alright?”

“Fair enough,” Valayun said as she returned her gaze up to the sky full of twinkling stars. “It’s a beautiful night.”

“Very beautiful,” Ke’ith responded.

It could have been her imagination, but for a second she thought Ke’ith was referring to her and not the stars.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Valayun eventually went to sleep. It wasn’t until after Melkavar appeared and said it was her time to take over watch that she realized how much time had passed. Valayun had been a touch embarrassed. She hadn’t even noticed the dwarf was there until Melkavar had cleared her throat. She and Ke’ith had spent most of his shift quietly talking and watching the stars. It was pleasant.

Waking up when her body craved more sleep wasn’t quite as enjoyable.

“Sun’s up, time to go people!” 

Valayun groaned as she sat up.  _ Did Pike have to be so loud? _

Block gave a yawn as he sat up. “Don’t suppose we have time to eat?”

“You can eat on route or once we get to the village,” Jiro stated as he stood up. “We can’t waste any more time.”

Valayun frowned, and lightly slapped her cheeks to shake off the last bit of sleep. “Right, let’s get going.”

Melkavar raised her hand. “Hold up, I’ve been thinking but is there a faster way to get there?” She pointed ahead in the woods. “Assuming we don’t run into any more monsters, it might take another whole day to get there.”

Ke’ith frowned as he grasped his chin. “You have a point.”

Block crossed his arms. “Could we take one of Valayun’s summonings?”

“She suggested that before. Its wings might freeze, and we would risk attracting any nearby frost griffins,” Ke’ith said.

Jiro grimaced. “A fight in the air would be difficult,” he sighed, “but if we can’t think of any faster routes we might not have a choice.”

Pike rubbed his neck as he grumbled. “Great, fighting a griffin a thousand feet in the air. That will be fun.” He glanced over to Blink who was scratching dirt off his ears. “I don’t suppose woofy here can pull us there sled dog style?”

Ke’ith scoffed. “He’s strong, but pulling all six of us would be difficult for him.”

Block blinked and grasped his chin. “What if...I could make him bigger?”

All heads turned to him.

“Pardon?” Ke’ith asked.

“I do know a spell that can temporarily make animals or people bigger,” Block said as he looked to Blink. “If we made a sled, he might be able to pull us back to town.”

Melkavar raised an eyebrow. “You had a spell that could make one of us bigger this whole time? Do you know how useful it could have been-”

“I only learned it recently,” Block replied with a sigh. “Plus it takes a lot of concentration.”

Valayun frowned as she glanced over to the wolf who was now wagging his tail. “How big will the spell make him?” 

_ We don’t want to accidentally create a giant wolf that terrifies the town,  _ she thought.

“No bigger than a horse,” Block said.

Pike snapped his fingers. “Then get casting-”

“Now hold it,” Ke’ith said as he stood protectively next to Blink. “Just because you thought of it, doesn’t mean that Blink wants it. You can’t just-”

A bark cut him off. Ke’ith and the group turned as the wolf ran up to Block, pawing at his leg and wagging his tail like he was asking for a treat.

Ke’ith blinked as he kneeled and patted Blink’s head. “You..want to be big?”

Blink wagged his tail as he gave a nod.

Ke’ith gave a sigh, but shrugged as he rose. “If it’s okay with him, then it’s okay with me.”

Melkavar clapped her hands. “Alright, we’re going to need a sled then.” She twirled her axe. “Give me ten minutes and I should have a sled ready. Won’t be pretty, but I think we’re all fine with that.”

“As long as it holds together until we get there, that’s all that matters,” Jiro nodded. “Tell us what you want us to do.”

“Pull the logs together as I chop them,” Melkavar stated as she began to chop a tree. “Also stand back, I’m going to use my strength spell to chop faster. So, there might be some flying debris. Pike get some rope ready to tie it together!”

Everyone did as Melkavar instructed. Before long they had logs arranged side by side and tied tightly together. Valayun brought out a small harness she would sometimes use on her summoned beasts. It fit Blink perfectly, and the wolf's tail wagged rapidly as Block began his spell.

Ke’ith seemed anxious as he watched, not that Valayun blamed him. It was his precious friend that was being tested out by a spell by a person he barely knew. She gently touched his shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” she whispered. “Block is a very careful sorcerer. He would never have suggested the spell if he thought it would harm your companion.”

Ke’ith frowned, but gave a slow nod.

Suddenly, Block held out his arms. 

“ENLARGE!” he called out.

Blink woofed as he was engulfed in a bright green light. Then, the light faded. Blink still looked the same but he was now the size of a large horse. The wolf seemed delighted as he jumped up and down. Then he ran over and joyously tackled Ke’ith to the ground.

Ke’ith laughed as his wolf stared at him in the face.

“You wanted to be big just to do that didn’t you,” he commented.

Blink barked out what sounded like a ‘Yes.’

Valayun giggled as she patted Blink’s ear. “As fun as this is, we have a quest to finish.”

Blink nodded as he climbed off and stood in front of the sleigh. Valayun and Ke’ith quickly attached his harness to the sled and then everyone climbed on.

Ke’ith and Valayun sat next to each other in front, behind them was Pike and Melkavar, and then Block and Jiro.

“Everyone ready?” Ke’ith called. “Alright, Blink! RUN!”

Blink howled and then took off like lightning and jolted the sled forward. Valayun stumbled slightly but was steadied by Ke’ith.

“YA HOO!” Pike shouted as they zoomed through the forest. “Now this is how you travel!”

“As long as we don’t fall off,” Block yelled as Jiro patted his back. “I’m starting to have second thoughts on this.”

“Hey, no complaining when it was your idea,” Melkavar teased and laughed.

“Hold on,” Ke’ith called “we’re about to leap over a log.”

Valayun dug her fingers into Ke’ith's arm as Blink jumped over the log. Valayun heard Block scream as they landed.

“NOT FUN!” Block cried.

Jiro laughed. “I don't know about you, but I found that exhilarating.”

“I did as well,” Valayun said. 

Another laugh caught her off guard and she glanced up. Ke’ith was grinning and there was a spark in his eyes she hadn’t seen before.

Valayun smiled to herself. It was nice to see Ke’ith was having fun as well.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to Blink, they reached the village in record time. They were barely a few feet from it when the spell wore off and Blink was restored to his normal size. The wolf glanced over himself and whined to Ke’ith.

Ke’ith smiled as he patted Blink on the head. “I know you enjoyed that but I think it’s better if we don’t have a giant wolf enter the village.”

Blink didn’t look as convinced but nuzzled Ke’ith’s hand.

“Let’s get these plants to the healers,” Jiro said. 

“I just hope we made it in time,” Valayun said.

Much to their relief, the healers said they had just made it. Had they taken another day, it would have been too late to save most of the ill.

Once the plants had been brewed into medicine, Valayun and the others assisted in serving it out to the patients. It took most of the afternoon, but by evening their task had been complete. The healers declared it would take a few extra days for some to be fully treated, but everyone should recover.

The village head gathered them in his house afterwards and insisted the group stay for a few days so they could thank them with a feast.

“Your thanks is more than enough,” Jiro replied. “We appreciate the offer but-”

Pike covered Jiro’s mouth with his hand. “What he means to say is that we would love to stay.”

“Yes, yes we would,” Block cut in. “We’re gonna need a few days to restock our supplies and rest up anyway.”

Jiro attempted to say something, but Melkavar patted his back.

“Just accept it, or Block and Pike will be whining about it for days,” she said.

Jiro gave a sigh, but nodded.

“Wonderful,” the village head declared. “Please take up the best rooms at the inn and I’ll have dinner brought to you in the meantime.” He then spotted Blink sleeping in the corner. “Um...is that creature tame?”

“As long as no one bothers him,” Ke’ith stated firmly.

The village head gave a nod. “Fair enough.” He turned around and waved to the group as he left. “Please make yourselves at home and I’ll have dinner sent to you shortly.”

“Thank you,” Jiro replied as the door shut behind him.

Block sighed as he collapsed in his chair. “Glad that’s over. I need a long nap.”

“But we did it,” Valayun said with a triumphant smile. 

“Indeed, we should be very proud of ourselves for our honorable deed,” Jiro commented.

“All I care about right now is a hot meal and sleep,” Melkavar said as she sat on the floor. 

“Same,” Pike moaned as he slumped next to her. “It’s going to take a few days to defrost my bones.”

Valayun giggled and then turned her attention to Ke’ith. “Have you thought about where you’re going to go?”

Ke’ith glanced up as he crossed his arms. “If you mean about your offer I’m still debating it?”

Pike raised an eyebrow. “What offer?”

Valayun tucked her hands behind her back. “I suggested Ke’ith join our group on a permanent basis.”

Pike tilted his head. “Seriously? You want ‘Mister Grumpy’ as part of our group?”

“Actually, that’s not a bad idea,” Jiro said as he grasped his chin and looked towards Ke’ith. “You and Blink have talents that proved quite useful for our quest. Would you be willing to join us in our noble endea-”

“Now hold on,” Pike said as he rose. “You and Valayun can’t just decide without asking the rest of us our opinions.”

Valayun narrowed her eyes slightly. Honestly, was Pike still holding a grudge? “Alright, fine,” she turned her head. “Block, Melkavar, what do you think?”

Block went quiet as he crossed his arms in thought. “If I’m honest, I’m with Valayun and Jiro.”

“What?” Pike whined.

“Ke’ith knows a lot about animals and it’s always good to have an extra pair of hands in a fight,” Block said with a shrug. “I’d be fine if he joined.”

Pike huffed and looked to Melkavar. “And you?”

Melkavar shrugged. “I think it’s fine if Ke’ith joins. He's good at finding wood for a fire.”

“Aw, come on!”

Melkavar rolled his eyes. “He did save your butt too as I recall. You can’t say he isn’t skilled.”

Pike pouted, glanced to Ke’ith and sighed. “Alright, fine, I’ll admit he’s useful. If everyone says they’re okay-”

“Now hold it,” Ke’ith said as he cleared his throat and Blink got up to stand next to him. “I appreciate the offer but I’m not sure if I should join.” He glanced at Valayun. “Blink and I are used to just dealing with ourselves. This little adventure was fine but I have no clue how we’ll be long term.”

Valayun tapped her chin in thought. That was true. They were fine now but a lot could change after a few rough nights on the road.

“Then why not just join us for a month or so,” Block said as he leaned forward. “After that, if you’re unhappy you can just leave.”

Valayun clapped her hands. “That’s an excellent idea.” 

“I agree,” spoke Jiro and placed a hand on Ke’ith's shoulder. “Travel with us for a bit, and if you find you are better with just you and Blink, you can leave us and we swear to hold no judgement.”

Ke’ith’s eyes narrowed. He glanced down to Blink and the wolf responded with a whine as he nuzzled his nose into Ke’ith’s leg.

The ranger sighed and then nodded. “Blink did like being big. Alright, we’ll travel with you lot for now, but I make no promises that I’ll stay indefinitely.”

“Good enough,” Valayun said as she glomped him from behind and hugged him. “Welcome to the group.”

Ke’ith blushed slightly, but gave a nod.

Pike placed his hand on his hips as he shook a finger. “Maybe while we travel I can get you to lighten up a little.”

Ke’ith gave a small smirk as Blink moved forward. “In exchange, I should warn you that Blink loves to chase cats.”

Pike rolled his eyes. “Oh, please! Like I would be scared of your dumb-”

Blink growled and Pike jumped behind Melkavar for cover, trying to hide behind the dwarf.

Melkavar chuckled. “Not scared, huh?”

“He caught me by surprise! It doesn’t count.”

The group laughed and Valayun was delighted to see Ke’ith was laughing with them as well.

_ Bonus scene: Real World _

_ Pidge: Wow, Keith, you really had your character play hard to get, huh? _

_ Keith: *sigh* Hey, I’m just trying to play to how my character would respond. _

_ Lance: Still can’t believe you picked ‘Ke’ith’ as your name. _

_ Coran: It’s better than ‘Shiro the paladin’. _

_ Shiro: That wasn’t me, that was the clone! _

_ Hunk: Had the same tastes as you dude, still counts. You didn't exactly rename Jiro. _

_ Allura: I think it’s just nice that we finally added Keith to the group. _

_ Pidge: *chuckles* Says the girlfriend who bribed her boyfriend into playing. _

_ Allura: I didn’t bribe him! _

_ Keith: No, you just used your big puppy dog eyes on me until I gave in. _

_ Lance: *claps* Ah, she was always good at that. _

_ Keith: I know, right! _

_ Allura: *sighs* The last thing I need is for you two to compare notes. _

**Author's Note:**

> For those wondering, yes Ke'ith is what I think he would be as one of the Monsters and Mana character. The half elf ranger is what I read one of the writers said they thought Keith would be.


End file.
